In season two of Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, the screwball comedy shows no signs of the usual sophomore slump thanks to heaping amounts of breathless wit and optimistic joy. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s first season was highlighted by its quotable lines and lovable characters and the new season of the quirky series retains all of these characteristics while delving deeper into each character.
Kimmy Schmidt’s likability falls to its uniqueness. All of the characters interact in hilariously strange ways, and they build a sort of self-aware reality around the typical New York setting. This is largely thanks to the talented writing staff working on the show. With a show that fires off so many one-liners, it is a marvel that they are generally hit rather than miss. The comedy pairs extremely well to the rapid-fire pacing of each episode; without time to blink or breath, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt throws endless pop culture references and dry character humor at the audience. The show has a fascinating way of combining physical humor, wordplay and visual absurdity to pull the viewer further in.
This form of character humor works especially well because the characters themselves are wonderfully developed. Each member of the cast is somehow outrageously crazy, yet entirely relatable. Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) again brings a standout performance to the second season. Her bubbly personality and hilarious naivety create vast opportunities for comedy. The more she learns about her surroundings, the more she unwittingly shows her strange colors. In the second season, the show provides the audience with a chance to learn more about how Kimmy deals with her checkered past. This insight makes her character more three dimensional and proves to elevate the humor surrounding her character.
The remaining parts of the show focuses on the rest of the main cast and their everyday obstacles. Titus Andromadon (Tituss Burgess) makes a fitting return, and his unmistakable mannerisms and unabashed self-involvement will continue to please fans of the first season. Jacqueline Voorhees (Jane Krakowski) also reprises her snobbish character appeal. Now divorced, Jacqueline attempts to find her place in society. Her journey is reliably funny as her cluelessness carries her into many mishaps.
The second season provides Lillian Kaushtupper (Carol Kane), the consistently crazy landlady, more of an active role. Throughout the series, she lends emotional support to both Titus and Kimmy. Her ongoing quest to keep the neighborhood free of hipsters and high-class people is a delight to watch.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s second season builds on the characterization that was established in the first season. Unlike other shows that lose their spark, the strong characters remain fully realized. The season is full of thoroughly funny jokes and some surprisingly relevant political commentary. Kimmy Schmidt, with its ridiculous humor, zany characters, over-the-top situations and incredible writing, works in an impressively coherent way.
Unless a person is living in an underground bunker like Kimmy was, they should be watching Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
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To contact Lifestyles editor Tanner Dedmon email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
